As if life wasn’t hard enough these day’s, with lay off’s, the high cost of living and economic turmoil on the rampage. Along comes another devastating blow to the American way of life.
As if life wasn’t hard enough these day’s, with lay off’s, the high cost of living and economic turmoil on the rampage. Along comes another devastating blow to the American way of life.
The loss of radio stations across the United States.
Suddenly station owners are faced with the daunting task of firing, laying off and yes even lying to their employees just to keep the station’s on-the-air while others are forced to sign-off for a few months just to off-set the operating cost’s. A few have already turned their licenses back over to the federal communications commission because in today’s economy, no one can afford to take a risk of operating a business that is already destine to fail.
Not all the blame can go on management or the sales team’s but it is after all just a cog in a much larger machine. This machine is hell-bent on harvesting the very soul of radio.
The lack of advertisers have forced many station’s to take these drastic measure’s.
Radio stations in major markets have gone dark, some of which have been on the air for 40 + years.
Example:
http://www.rwonline.com/article/76478 (i will add more examples later)
I have witnessed this first hand and it was not a pretty sight.
The last time i worked in radio was back around 1995-96 and i had fun doing it too.
So after that job fell through i never returned to commercial radio but as my readers know i have been very active in part 15 broadcasting on AM/FM. Lucky for me, I have a very understanding wife and together we kept radio alive in our own special way.
Enter Fall 2009, a knock on the door and a conversation with a friend whom i worked with in 96 landed me another job in broadcasting. I was excited to get back into radio again.
But after a month of working then three months off-work, it became clear to me that i no longer had a job and would have to wait-and-see if things would improve. So far things have not improved.
I am no longer waiting and will return to broadcasting the only way I know how, through the services of Live365.com and “low power” radio.
Radio is not only a companion, a beacon of hope, entertainment or a medium it is the life blood of America and it should no be allowed to die like this. Not this way. Not now, not ever.
People who work in radio do it for the rush and the love of radio ( and being able to pay bills is good too) but most know the history of radio and would not want to see radio fade away.
Just my two cent’s worth, which we all know buy’s nothing these days. What is your take on the subject? Do you think part 15 could be next? Perhaps a push towards all digital radio?
It’s times like these that almost makes me want to shut my stations down and pretend i don’t have a lifelong friend called radio.
Then again, no. 🙂
Well said
The situation is so bad that Radio and Records was offering free situation wanted ads – until Radio and Records suddenly shut down…
See also “When banks own radio stations:” http://part15.us/node/2176
My Say
Thanks for inviting comment. Rock95seven raised the question of whether a push to digital might happen, but I think it’s already been demonstrated that no one cares about digital radio or purchasing yet another device to receive it.
You already said it, and we’ve just about all said that radio has dug its own hole by becoming a dull assembly line with no personality. The audience walked out years ago except for a small number of exceptions which are not available much of the time. NPR has a good show every fourth hour but otherwise has become insipid. Maybe that’s to strong, I just like that word. But one day I heard the history of airplanes for one hour. Then the history of baseball scores, another hour. Legends involving cranberries.
Thank God I have a toy station to keep us company.
It happened to t.v.
which is why I think radio could be pushed to all digital.
If there are no longer analog signals on the dial just as they have done with television then the public would be forced to make a decision.
A) buy a new receiver
B) forget all about radio and stick with Ipods, satellite etc.
C) protest until analog returns
I dont think it will come down to this but i am just sharing a crazy theory I have based on what is going on with radio and television.
There is also a more down to earth possibility that one or two corporations would own all station’s with exception to our part 15’s and LPFM’s. Banks (as noted here on part 15) could have the foot in the door already. The station i worked for here was and still is competing with several others in town that are owned by Forcht Bank.
So you can probably see why advertisers were reluctant to sponsor ball games and what-not. The bank has been here longer, folks know about it and respect the name it has made in the community.
A new station such as the one i mentioned , being only two years old if that, would have a hard time staying afloat when all the ad dollars are going to the other stations or in a more realistic world, the bank which is backed by mighty dollars.
So to me if radio doesn’t go all digital (which probably won’t) then i’d say the primary owners may very well end up being the banks that own all the station’s in every major city while the general managers or operations managers end up working for next to nothing.
Most of the horror stories lately have been about stations turning over the ownership to the banks to pay off a debt rather than go bankrupt, the bank would keep a large sum of the profits to offset the loan payments.
If this truly happens then i could see alot of empty spaces on the dial and less programming to choose from. Listeners would be at the mercy of a few stations owned by bankers who for the most part dont know the first thing about radio.
Does this make cents lol
HEH Sorry i couldnt resist.
Christmas Dream
A license transfer is subject to FCC approval. The paperwork required is probably not what a bank is prepared to do, especially since banks also operate on slim staffing so as to maximize the booty earned from all the fines, penalties and interest they collect.
Banks are also being loaded down with foreclosed homes and buildings, and owning assets requires maintaining them, which seems like banks will be over extended.
They’ll probably want to unload all these assets before they fall into blight. The future might be good for new startup investors. Start saving your loose change.
Why Radio Lost Me
The economic situation is certainly a factor but it is also due to declining number of listeners.
Radio lost me as a listener.
Several reasons:
Too much advertising
Boring programming
No useful timely information. No traffic reports, weather emergency notifications.
The only time I tune in is when mobile and that is only to our local NPR AM station and that is just to pass time while driving.
I am not in the “prime demographic” which is surprising because seasoned folks usually have more disposable $$ than younger folks, but on the other hand we are not as likely to be duped by advertising tricks and have long established brand loyality. Maybe that is the reason.
I am old school and grew up listening to a “top 40” station where the DJs somehow managed to connect personally as if they knew you were listening and it seemed that they were talking to you individually. We even hired them to do our “sock hops”. They took call in requests and it was fun to hear your name mentioned on the radio with your requested song played dedicated to your also named girlfriend. There was a sense of community. I even toured their studios and met the “personalities”.
One thing radio might do, and it also would work in syndication, is to go back to the old network model of radio drama and mini-series (remember Lone Ranger, The Shadow, and so on?) If you have never heard the Mercury Theater broadcast of Orson Well’s War of the Worlds it is worth goggling and if you listen you will experience the power of radio drama. [EDIT to add: it is a little hard to find so I did it for you: War of the Worlds M3U streaming] I have noticed that premium TV channels (HBO, SHO, and others) are now running mini-series so they see some merit in the concept. The old model might work…22 minutes or so of UNINTERRUPTED radio drama with commercials only at the beginning and end just as in the good old days might attract new and repeat listeners.
I am sure than many experts who know much more than I about programming have thought of this but I offer from my perspective as a listener what might get me to listen again.
I don’t want an hour of news, an hour of interview with some musician I don’t know or care about, or other things such as Carl mentioned. I also don’t want just music since I can get that many other ways commercial free.
Pardon my rambling but maybe someone will get some ideas from it.
Neil
The Opportunity in Radio Broadcasting…
Future opportunities in radio will depend on people who don’t listen to the industry pundits and who are willinhg to break the corporate broadcasting mold established by the FCC in the 1980’s. Entercom, Emmis and Clear Channel were just a few of the profit-takers who managed to over extend their credit lines based on inflated property values. When the value of money went in the tank, investors pulled their money out of the markets and real property of any value tanked as well. Hence, the foreclosure debacle in real estate.
The consequence for radio has been seriously depressed stick values and the unwillingness of banks to invest in the industry. And with depressed advertising sales in major markets, the value of and financial health of corporate broadcast properties has gone to a dime on the dollar in some areas. To add to the financial dilemma, the FCC ruled in the 1980’s that station licenses could no longer be used as collateral for bank or investor financing. That means only the physical assets of the station are used to offset the risk of station financing. And let’s face it, most stations don’t have but about 10-20 thousand bucks worth of assets without real estate. That makes big stations worth a lot less. Their value is based on multiples of cash flow produced by advertising sales.
So, where is the pony in all of this? Right now, non-profit corporations are buying up construction permits and dark licenses for pennies on the dollar; most don’t even involve any cash. Maybe a small down payment or trade for a chunk of real estate at most and you can be the new owner of a radio station. Many folks I talk to say, “I just couldn’t do that.” Why not? You can’t win the lottery if you never buy a ticket.
Plenty of information is available online to find these gems and be creative about how to operate or buy these stations. Yes, most existing ownership wants to cash out their little darling. But, a well thought out idea and plan can make the difference.
And finally, if you know how to operate a radio station and make money, investigate a LMA (local marketing agreement) that allows you to operate the station, make money and test out your ideas without having to buy the station. You can actually rent the signal. And it is legal. Some companies will enter into an LMA rather that turn the station off and hand in the license. Remember, when a station goes off the air, it has exactly 365 days to return to the air or the license evaporates with the FCC forever; LMA is the carrot, no license is the stick.
Radio broadcasting has many roads to travel before its done and put a fork in it. When 95 percent of all Americans still listen to the radio each week, don’t believe all the press you read, view or hear. Check out “www.rab.com”. Go hunting for your opportunity, I spend time each day hunting for mine.
Board Room
Thank you for attending the Part15.US Board Meeting, consisting of the Members.
Let’s cash it in and start buying big radio stations instead of these little make believes.
What? Oh, I guess I fell asleep.
What is it?
Carl,
Is it the word BIG, or the possibility of money being involved or the RF purest heart beating within you that puts you off regarding the previous suggestions. The ingenuousness tone of your comment is certainly not helpful. Pull up your big boy pants and understand corporations are just a way of doing business, licenses and the FCC are not the problem and hobby/micro-broadcasting has its place and will continue to exist because people listen. We are viable because we are in the business of informing and entertaining people. The important word here is PEOPLE. Not technicians with shortsighted projects with no listeners. Granted if we, ourselves, are the only listeners, that’s fine. But some of us have a greater vision.
And by the way, welcome back from your nap. Whatever you’re on, the rest of us are jealous. There would be no possibility for “Part15” without the FCC or lawmakers who have seen fit to allow each of us a small piece of the spectrum to play with. And when was the last time you contacted your U.S. Senator or Congressman to explain your views on the subject.
This forum has always been, and hopefully always will be, a place where we can exchange ideas in the light of day. A place where we can test our ideas regarding learning the technology of micro-broadcasting and how to use it more effectively.
My two cents
For what ever it’s worth, I find this board
to be more fun than any other place I go
on the net. Even if we have some different
ways of looking at things, I read it all and
really enjoy it.
ALL you guys have radio in your blood, and
you have inspired me to go out and learn
more about electronics.
Thank you for that. It has been a big help
to me.
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
P.S. I know there are stations going off the
air, but I spent quite a while last night trying
to log DX on 1400 kHz, one of my favorite
channels. I heard a lot of signals coming from
all over the place. Actually, so many, that I
couldn’t pull out any IDs out of the mess. (Oh well.)
Dreaming
Rev. Marshall Johnson, Sr., Sir, you are being rational, logical and realistic. I may have departed into dreamland with my remark, but imagine if a bunch of part15ers actually took over an abandoned license and lived the dream, yes, BIG!
Here’s where the proof and pudding intersect: even with a license, I think a true part 15er WOULD KEEP HIS/HER LOW POWER SIGNALS ON THE AIR.
The license idea will stay a dream because part 15ers are probably not rich, since cost is usually an obstacle that gets talked about.
Reality Check
“$1 WXFX-FM CP Hustontown PA from Four Rivers Community Broadcasting Corporation (Charles W. Loughery) to Invisible Allies Ministries (Michael J. Schomer, James R. Schomer). Cash. CP is for Class A on 91.7 MHz with 11 w @W 1,263’. [FCC file date 1/4/10]” “RBR-TVBR”
Licensed micro-broadcasting anyone and at a budget anyone here can afford? Sometimes reality is more strange that fiction.
Placing an Order
Wow! Let’s get a dozen!
NDB
Howdy,
I might be able to bid on a NDB aeronautical navigation system (it’s an AM system). It also broadcasts weather, so I can ditch the beacon and it will hopefully modulate OK. It’s 284 Khz … I don’t know if it can be retuned up into the AM BCB range. It’s 25 watts and has a 50′ triangular lattice tower with a 6-element capacitive hat, complete with all guys and other hardware. I know the new one they built (exact same system) at another location has 12 @ 50′ buried ground radials.
Definitely not Part 15 😉
I’d have to move it because they want the spot to build hangars. They told me to contact them again in the Spring, so I have until then to get my act together.
Nice Toy
Good luck on the bid. That tower sounds like a work of art to a radio person, even if not actually used for transmitting.